Supporting truss for ruptures



April 3', 19515 I IN VEN TOR.

ATTD RN EYE April 3, 1951 A. H. HINKLE SUPPORTING TRUSS FOR RUPI'URES 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 7, 1948 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING TRUSS FOR RUPTURES Andy H. Hinkle, Atlanta, Ga. Application January 7, 1948, Serial No. 902

This invention relates to supporting trusses for ruptures, such as hernias and the like, and in particular includes cup-shaped supporting elements mounted on flat spring bands in a mount ing frame and provided with arcuate covering elements held outward by pneumatic pressure providing cushions, the pressure of which may be regulated by the pressure of air therein.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an effective truss that may be positively held in position against a ruptured part of the human body without discomfort to the patient.

Various frames and structures have been provided for holding pads for ruptures against parts of the body and whereas these may be adjusted by the belts, it has been found that to support the individual pad on a yielding element and provide means for adjusting the pressure in the pad makes it possible to make the pad more comfortable and at the same time more effective. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a substantially rectangular-shaped wire frame with handles at the ends and spring steel bands on which the cup-shaped pressure elements are mounted and the pressure elements are provided with diaphragms or flexible covering elements that are removably mounted in annular recesses and held outward by air pressure or the like.

The object of this invention is to provide means for forming rupture supporting pads wherein the pressure in the pads may readily be adjusted.

Another object of the invention is to provide mounting means for rupture supporting pads in which the pads are held on yielding elements.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pad and a supporting structure therefor in which the parts are readily removable for cleaning and sterilizing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support for ruptures and the like having pressure pads with resilient supporting means, which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists of the new and novel combination, construction, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the claims appended hereto, and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the back of the pads and supporting structure therefor, with parts of the belt broken away.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the truss with the belt and fastening elements therefor omitted.

3 Claims. (Cl. 128-102) Figure 3 is a rear view of the supporting structure with the pads and belt omitted.

Figure 4 is across section through one of the pads and structure taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section through one of the pads taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the rubber sealing element of the pad.

Figure '7 is a longitudinal section through the valve stem of the cup-shaped supporting element.

Figure 8 is a detail illustrating a modification wherein a spring band is provided with an extending end for suspending a pad below the frame.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts the truss of this invention includes cup-shaped supporting elements It, sealing elements I l, flexible covering elements l2, a supporting frame 13, and a belt I4.

The supporting elements H3, in the design shown in Figure 4, are formed with rims l 5 having annular recesses l6 therein and the open faces of the elements are covered by rubber cups H, providing sealing elements, and these are covered with the elements 12 which may be of leather, velure, or any suitable fabric. These elements are secured in the recess i6 by a split ring I? whereby the outer covering element l2 may readily be removed for sterilizing, cleaning, or repair, or so that it may readily be replaced.

The elements H] are provided with centrally disposed openings l8 by which they are mounted on valve stems l9 that extend through slots 20 in spring steel bands 2| and the stems are provided with holding nuts 22, 23, and 24 by which the elements may be adjustably positioned on the stems. The valve stems are provided with spring actuated ball check valves as shown in Figure 7 wherein balls 25 are held against valve seats26 by springs 21, and the outer ends of the stems are provided with caps 28.

The springs 2'! are held in position by bushings 5, which are threaded in the outer ends of the stems l9, and the bushings are provided with screw driver slots 6 and longitudinally disposed openings 1.

The sealing elements or cups I! are preferably made of rubber or a suitable resilient material, and these are formed, as shown in Figure 6, with annular grooves 38 to receive the rims of the supporting members. The sealing elements are provided with extending annular flanges 39 which are smaller in diameter than the rims of the supporting elements so that when sprung into position on the rims they will retain air in the pads to provide a cushion and the outer covering may be removed and replaced without releasing the pressure in the pad.

The spring bands 21 are formed with clamps 40 and 4| at the ends by which they are secured on horizontally disposed bars 42 and 43 of the frame I3 by bolts 44 and 45, and the slots 20 in the bands are positioned adjacent the lower ends thereof so that the pads may be held directly on the ruptured part. With the endsof the bands held by the clamps the bands carrying the pads may readily be moved on the bars 42' and 43 to adjust the position of the pads. The. ends of the frame 13 are provided with loops 46 and 41 that provide handles by which the frame may be gripped by hand under the clothing so that the position thereof may be adjusted without removing the clothing. The ends of the frame are also provided with links 48 and 49 through which the ends of the belt [4 are attached to the truss.

The spring bands on which the pads are mounted may also be provided with extending ends, as shown in Figure 8, so that the pads may be suspended below the frame to hold a low rupture. In this design bands 50 are formed with clamps at the upper ends and the lower ends are held to the frame by clips 52. The bands are provided with bolt openings 53 in the lower extending ends 54, in addition to the slots 55 which are similar to the slots of the bands 2|.

The diaphragms or outer covering elements of the pads have been described as urged outward by pneumatic pressure, however, it will be understood that any suitable substance or material may be used in the pads.

With the parts assembled as shown the position of the pads may readily be adjusted in relation to the belt and frame and with the pads mounted on spring bands they will readily adjust themselves laterally by twisting the bands so that the contacting surfaces will be in parallel relation. The pressure in the pads may also be adjusted to provide cushioning surfaces so that it is possible to support the pads relatively tight against a rupture or hernia without discomfort to a patient.

Itwill be understood that other modificationsv may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a truss support, the combination which comprises a frame having two spaced upper and lower bars with the bars inclined upwardly from the center of the frame toward the outer ends and with the ends of the upper bar extended beyond the ends of the lower bar, the ends of said .4 lower bar being extended upwardly and sloping inwardly and connected at their upper ends by loops through the extended ends of the upper bar, and spaced spring bands positioned intermediate of the ends of the bars with the upper ends of the bands adjustably mounted on the upper bar and the lower ends thereof adjustably mounted on the lower bar, said bands having elongated pad retaining slots therein.

2. In a truss support, the combination which comprises a frame having two spaced upper and lower bars with the bars inclined upwardly from the center of the frame toward the outer ends and with the ends of the upper bar extended beyond the ends of the lower bar, the ends of said lower bar being extended upwardly and sloping inwardly and connected at their upper ends, by loops to the extended ends of the upper bar, spaced spring bands positioned intermediate of the ends of the bars with the upper ends of the bands adjustably mounted on the upper bar and the lower ends thereof adjustably mounted on the lower bar, said bands having elongated pad retaining slots therein, and belt attaching links pivotally mounted on the outwardly extended ends of the said lower bar.

3. In a truss support, the combination which comprises a frame having two spaced upper and lower bars with the bars inclined upwardly from the center of the frame toward the outer ends and with the ends of the upper bar extended beyond the ends of the lower bar, the ends of said lower bar being extended upwardly and'sloping inwardly and connected at their upper ends by loops through the extended ends of the upper bar, and spaced spring bands positioned intermediate of the ends of the bars with clamps on the upper ends of the bands extended around the upper bar and clamps on the lower ends of the bands extended around the lower bar, said bands having elongated pad retaining slots therein.

ANDY H. HINKLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 608,444 Dennis Aug. 2, 1898 659,846 Dennis Oct. 16, 1900 731,709 Railton June 23, 1903 1,179,766 Shipley Apr. 18, 1916 1,211,250 Shipley Jan. 2, 1917 1,211,666 Bobo Jan. 9, 1917 1,272,329 Carling July 9, 1918 1,607,209 Pease Nov. 16, 1926 1,629,067 Buckner May 17, 1927 2,437,019 Eich Mar. 2, 1948 

